


Moonshakes

by whatthefoucault



Category: Thor (Movies)
Genre: Dorks, Falling In Love, M/M, Mutual Pining, Sakaar (Marvel), Soulmates, egregious overuse of the word "frisson", everyone is trying their best, frostmaster
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-06
Updated: 2018-09-06
Packaged: 2019-07-07 21:21:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,171
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15916500
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whatthefoucault/pseuds/whatthefoucault
Summary: "Hey Scrappy," said the Grandmaster, "what do you think of the new guy, uhh, Loki?"





	Moonshakes

**Author's Note:**

> An interlude, of sorts. Set after [The Art Of The Cooperative Endgame](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15496701) and before [Gamalost](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13207842), for those who are keeping track, but you don't need to.

"Hey Scrappy," said the Grandmaster, "what do you think of the new guy, uhh, Loki?"

"That sort of weedy looking guy down there, looks kind of like a witch?" asked Scrapper 142. "Dunno, he's... fine?"

Loki was at the far end of the corridor, likely unaware of their presence on the balcony that overlooked it: the Grandmaster looked on with fondness as Loki picked up a small ornamental snuff box from a shelf of trinkets to examine it, opening the lid with some apparent resistance, as the hinge snapped dramatically just as he did so. He glanced quickly around the immediate vicinity for witnesses, then a deviously innocent smile spread across his face as he casually replaced the broken lid, returning the box to its shelf in the ostensible hope that no one would notice. He was just so _charming_ , thought the Grandmaster.

"Well, I think he's really something," he said. It had not been long since Loki fell from the heavens into the Grandmaster's life like shimmering stardust, but the Grandmaster could tell that his life was already all the better for it.

"He's definitely _something_ ," she shrugged, taking a small swig from her flask, as Loki turned the corner and swiftly swanned out of sight.

"Wow, wouldya look at the way he, uhh, the way walks away like that," marveled the Grandmaster. "You know, that, uhh, that little puff of green magic that lingers in the back of your mind every time he's around?"

"No."

"What about the, uhh, the little _frisson_ just behind your penis when you're playing chess, and he says the word check?" The Grandmaster gave a little shimmy of delight at the thought of it. "Have you heard him say check? It's, it's so sharp, is what it is. Like a... like a sexy little word-dagger."

"I don't have a penis, and I don't play chess, and I don't care for the way he says things, so no," she said.

"Oh," said the Grandmaster. "Is that just me?"

"Grandmaster, I think you might have a crush," she replied, her expression uncomfortable.

"No, no, no. No, I don't want to _crush_ him," he clarified, "I just... want to be around him, all the time. I want to help him brush his hair, maybe share, uhh, a moonshake, with two straws. I want to share secrets, you know, stuff nobody else knows. I want to make him feel, uhh, happy and safe. That's normal, right? Is that - is that normal?"

Scrapper 142 regarded him curiously. "Okay," she said, "you might actually be in love."

"Love? Please," the Grandmaster scoffed. "Millions of years, _millions_ of years and I've never once, not once have I - actually, you know what, uhh, Scrappy? You might be onto something."

"Can I go now?" she asked. "I'm supposed to be having tea with the Champion."

"Ahh, don't let's keep ol' champ waiting," agreed the Grandmaster. "Tea?"

"Gin," conceded Scrapper 142, making her way, more or less in a straight line, to the door.

"Tell him I said hi!" smiled the Grandmaster, waving after her.

\---

At the end of that corridor there had to be something good, thought Loki.

It had hardly escaped his notice that the only people one ever saw turning down this wing were the Grandmaster himself, and occasionally Topaz. It was inevitable that Loki would, at some stage, let his curiosity get the better of him.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Loki stopped dead in his tracks at the sound of Topaz's stern enquiry, turning slowly - gracefully, if he did say so himself - to face her. In hindsight, perhaps he ought to have shifted into a less obtrusive form before attempting to sneak in where he did not belong, but sometimes the best way to sneak in was to act as though one belonged there in the first place.

Loki smiled, his most charming of smiles. "My sincerest apologies," he said, "I must have taken a wrong turn."

Topaz glared, apparently unconvinced. "See that you don't do it again, you weedy little - "

"Does no one here recognise a regal bearing when they see one?" protested Loki, straightening himself - shoulders back, chin up - in an attempt to assert his right to a little more respect, thank you very much. "I think you'll find I'm the rightful king of - "

"That's nice," Topaz cut him off. "But here, you stay out of the restricted areas. I know the Grandmaster likes you for some insane reason, but the rules still apply to you."

"He... he said he likes me?" Loki asked before he could stop himself.

Topaz shrugged. "Uhh, yeah," she said.

The Grandmaster liked him, thought Loki. He had not realised until then how much he had hoped it was the case. The Grandmaster was charming (certainly) and Loki liked to be liked (of course) but this was perhaps something more. He folded his hands, willing his rising blush to remain a healthy level of pale.

"Outta my way, losers." Scrapper 142 wove her way down the corridor, making to shove past the pair of them with tipsy aplomb, but Topaz was having none of it.

"Not so fast," Topaz cautioned her, melt stick at the ready. "The Grandmaster's been looking to have a word with you."

"Yeah, I know," replied Scrapper 142 with a heavy scoff. "I've just seen him. Now I'm actually on my way to - "

"I really look forward to the day you finally disappoint the Grandmaster," said Topaz, "and I finally get to melt you."

"Do you think you can get away with being mean just because you're pretty?" Scrapper 142 raised an eyebrow. "It's not a good look."

"Neither is drinking an entire distillery dry before breakfast, but there you are," replied Topaz.

Scrapper 142 extended a rude gesture in Topaz's direction as she passed. It was a gesture Loki had always assumed was particular to Asgard, but apparently, some things were more universal than even he knew.

"So what's the bad blood between you and Scrapper 142?" Loki asked as soon as she had stumbled out of earshot.

"Long story," replied Topaz.

Loki grinned. "Care to elaborate?"

"No," she said.

Loki regarded her humourless, unyielding expression carefully. "Okay," he replied.

"I think you'd best be on your way," said Topaz.

"Yes, of course, quite right," Loki agreed, heading nonchalantly back in the direction of the forbidden wing.

"Don't be stupid," Topaz cut him off two paces in, waggling her weapon towards him. "Melty melty."

"Ah, it was worth a go," he shrugged.

The Grandmaster _liked_ him, he thought, smiling to himself as he turned back towards his guest room. Perhaps it was neither wise nor prudent that this little nugget of knowledge pleased him as much as it did, perhaps it was folly to lean into that like, and settle in the warm golden glow he found there like a cat curling up contentedly in a little patch of sunshine, but he would not have exchanged it for anything. After all, he liked the Grandmaster, too.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed it, feel free to like and subscribe, and don't forget to leave a comment down below and let me know what you think! And [come say hello on tumblr](http://whatthefoucault.tumblr.com)!


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